Top 10 Underhyped bikes of 2015

1. KTM 390 Duke

The 390 Duke is KTM’s littlest sibling (in this country, at least) to our bike of the year, the 1290 Super Duke R, and the roadster boils down the essence of the 1290 into a much smaller package. With its 373cc Single pumping out 44 (claimed) horsepower, mini-Streetfighter styling, and the sharp handling characteristics KTM is known for, I bet the 390 Duke would be a fun toy to embarrass lesser riders with in the twisties. And at $4,999, it seems to be an incredible value for a bargain-rate exotic.

KTM has a lot to be excited about in the street segment with the new 1290 Super Adventure, 390 Duke and RC390, especially as the latter, in the form of the KTM RC Cup, was recently announced as being a MotoAmerica feeder series for aspiring young racers in the U.S. That attention has understandably taken some of the spotlight away from the 390 Duke, making it one of the most underhyped bikes of 2015.

Suggested Readings

Get Motorcycle.com in your Inbox

Cale

Would moving from a Ninja 250 to a KTM 390 Duke be considered moving up in power and speed? i would love to move to a 690 or an FZ-09 but i think both of those might be just outside of my budget and riding ability.

Yes, barely moving up. Go for the 690, or find a used MZ 660 for a pittance. The FZ-09 might be a bit much, but the 690, a single, should be about right.. If you take too small incremental steps you may never graduate.

That’s what dealers told me when I was shopping for my first bike.
They: “Get the Bandit 1200” ..
Me: “well it’s kind of powerful and big, don’t want to kill myself.. ”
They: “Don’t worry. You don’t have to go fast. You can go very slow with it.”

But yeah.. if you ride anything smaller than 1300cc, … you know what you are…

Kevin Duke

I disagree that a 690 Duke is reasonable step up from a TU250. The KTM is a serious machine. I’d imagine an FZ-07 would better suit Luke, and I’m willing to bet he’d be very happy on a 390 Duke.

Craig Hoffman

I have a friend with a 690. The enjoyment that comes with doing outlandish wheelies is a personality defect I share with Kevin Duke here, if not the K1600 lofting talent. Ya, I like doing wheelies. Lots of them, and the 690 is one of the better abettors in feeding the wheelie addiction.

While that trait is admirable, and certainly a danger to my license, the 690’s propensity to suck a rider into abject illegal hooliganism may not make it a bike that is suited to newer riders 🙂

DickRuble

Ok.. I started on a single 660… with three MSF courses as experience… I mean.. he can go back to a moped.. to be extra safe..

Kevin Duke

I don’t know Luke or his riding talents, but if a TU250 comprises anyone’s only motorcycle experience, the 690 Duke will be a handful.

Luke

Cale, I’m in a similar spot. My TU250 has brought me such joy, but I want to experience more bikes. The 390 Duke is on the list, as is the the FZ-07 as potential new bikes. But there are so many tempting others like the V-Strom 650 or the FZ/J-09s. I know I’m not a “liter bike” rider yet for sure, and I tend to gravitate towards lighter bikes which makes me really want that 390 Duke even though it’s another “beginner” bike. (That Ducati Scrambler might be on my list now too…)

Reid

The 690 Duke is a joy to own and ride. It was my first street bike of any kind and it never gave me a moment’s worry. It’s all about the adjustable fueling settings (accessed under the pillion seat near the battery). Leave it in default until you get used to it and then switch it to the more aggressive ride mode to get a better idea of what it’s “supposed” to feel like. The only knock against the 690 is the cost of entry. Honestly, I don’t think a newish rider could do better than the Fz-07.

DickRuble

There are a million options out there. Why anybody would buy a new bike when there are so many good, barely used, cheap used bikes is beyond me. The 690 is great.

Or a used FZ09 for $2k less than new. I guess the honeymoon didn’t last

The Vulcan S looks like it actually has the potential to ride and handle decently – a cruiser for people who actually want a good motorcycle to go along with being part of the biker culture?

Reid

SHOCKING! A cruiser for people who want a decent machine?! It’ll never sell -___- not enough chrome.

Richard Gozinya

Chrome seems to be passe among the cruiser set. It’s all about blacking things out, and matte paint these days.

Kevin Polito

The Vulcan S reflects an interesting branch of the cruiser genre, smaller-displacement cruisers that are expanding the performance envelope rather than the displacement envelope. The Indian Scout is another in that genre.

Kevin Polito

Sport bikes and adventure bikes seem to receive disproportionate coverage of every minuscule annual or semiannual change, whereas many models of bikes go for years without being revisited.

Kevin Duke

We cover everything that’s new, simple as that. If a bike hasn’t changed since, say, 2010, then we already have it covered for anyone who wants to know about it. To your point, stay tuned next week to see how Yamaha’s almost-forgettable FZ6R and Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 compare favorably to the new CBR650F.

I am looking forward to learning more about the BMW R1200RS. That bike appeals to me so much. Though I doubt it will appeal to my budget…

Craig Hoffman

The GSX 1000 should be a nice bike. Tune for torque all they want, it would be truly difficult for Suzuki to screw up the donor K6 GSXR engine. The bike looks to have good brakes and fully adjustable suspension too. Looking forward to reading about it.

The Versys 1000 looks like a great day to day bike too. I like that both the GSX and Versys are simple bikes. I don’t want the complexity or need to pay for ABS and traction control. I ride dirt bikes. They teach you all you need to know about traction…

Auphliam

I’ve never been a fan of Katoom’s origami styling, but seriously…How many great bikes can one manufacturer release in one year? I think they’ve earned themselves a pat on the back after this year.

We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests.
We use data about you for a number of purposes explained in the links below. By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of data and cookies.
Tell me more |
Cookie Preferences